Spiders belong to
the the scientific class Arachnida, which also includes Scorpions,
Mites and Ticks, and
Daddy-Long-Legs. These
are known as "arachnids," and they all have 8 legs, 2
body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen), and no antennae. Arachnids
also have fang-like mouthparts called "chelicerae" which
insects do not have. Insects and arachnids both belong to
the same Phylum (Arthropoda), but insects are not arachnids, and
arachnids are not insects.

Spiders can be distinguished
from other arachnids in Kentucky by the connection between the abdomen
and the cephalothorax. In spiders, the connection between
the cephalothorax and the abdomen is a narrow stalk. In other
Kentucky arachnids, the connection between the two body regions
is broad, so that the distinction between the cephalothorax and
abdomen is not obvious.

There are many different
kinds of spiders in Kentucky. Click on the pictures above
to learn more about how to identify specific kinds of spiders, or
visit the Spider Anatomy section (below) to learn about spider body
parts.

Unless otherwise noted,
all photos courtesy R. Bessin and B. Newton, University of Kentucky Department
of Entomology
The Kentucky Critter Files are maintained by Blake Newton, Department
of Entomology, University of Kentucky.